Nov 3, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2014
Media Contact:
Mercedes Parham
Marketing and Media Manager
The Columbus Museum
706.748.2562 ext. 540
mparham@columbusmuseum.com
Columbus, GA- On the heels of the enthusiastic response to the Columbus Museum’s exhibition Leaving Mississippi - Reflections on Heroes and Folklore: Works by Najee Dorsey, the Museum announced a new initiative aimed at increasing exposure for African-American artists. This project, funded through a pledged gift of $100,000 by Dan and Kathelen Amos, will focus on acquiring works by African-American artists. The Museum hopes to raise additional matching funds through various members of the Columbus community.
"The Columbus Museum has an outstanding collection of American art. Through a dedicated fund to focus on acquiring works by African-American artists, our collection can be expanded in ways that will not only broaden it artistically, but enhance our ability to blend art with the history of our region and our country in ways that will engage diverse audiences," said Dan and Kathelen Amos.
Leaving Mississippi, on view in the Museum’s Legacy Hall through January 4, 2015, features mixed-media works that illustrate themes of the civil rights movement, participants of civil disobedience, and folklore legends. More than 480 attended the opening reception hosted in partnership with Representative Calvin Smyre, Aflac Executive Vice President, General Counsel Audrey Boone-Tillman, the Fountain City Classic’s Leaders of Today and Tomorrow (L.O.T.T.), the Wade H. and Teresa Pike Tomlinson Fund, Georgia Council for the Arts, and Janet and Clive Foster.
“Leaving Mississippi represents a crucial time [period] in our nation’s history,” said Audrey Boone-Tillman. “The Civil Rights movement left an indelible mark on the country as brave pioneers took great personal risks to stand up for equal treatment for everyone under the law. This is a story that needs to be told through the arts, and I am pleased to lend my support to creating more opportunity for African-American artists here in Columbus.”
In preparation of the effort, the Columbus Museum’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Kristen Miller Zohn is assembling an ad-hoc advisory committee of artists, collectors, and community members that will recommend acquisitions to the Museum’s Collections Committee.
“The Museum currently owns works by important African-American artists, including Benny Andrews, Radcliffe Bailey, Robert Colescott, William H. Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, Alma Thomas, and Kara Walker. We are thrilled that this initiative will give us the resources to enhance our collection and enrich our community,” said Miller Zohn.
The Columbus Museum is the second largest general museum in Georgia and is unique for its dual concentration on American art and regional history. While carrying forth its mission to bring American art and history to life for the communities of the Chattahoochee Valley, the Museum serves as a hub of community learning and enjoyment. Through an educational approach, the Museum strives to ignite creativity, inspire critical thinking, and spark conversation. For more information about the Columbus Museum, visit www.columbusmuseum.com.
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